The opinions of people

Be delivered from the opinions of people.

That’s what my pastor always says.

Be delivered from the opinions of people! Cuz that stuff will have you living your most miserable life.

See, the things with the opinions of people is that that’s all they are. They are what people think of you, irrespective of whether their opinions are based on facts or rumour, truth or lies. I believe we are the ones that give people’s opinions such a stronghold in our lives. We give people the ability to build and break us at the sound of words. We place our credibility in the hands of others to validate it, as if their word and POV is gospel truth, so whatever they claim over our lives we take as gospel truth, even though it could be the farthest thing from what God says about you.

You know people, who you truly believe that God put in your life to try and teach you patience? As comical as that sounds, I truly believe that God has put some people in life to teach me anger management and patience!!! Like, they don test meee!!!

But it has to be a renewal of your mind, you have to condition your mind and intellect and thinking to understand that you determine who you are and no one or nothing else. You are your primary speaker of your life and upon your life. When, (& I say when and not if because it’s only a matter of time) someone says something contrary to what you believe about yourself, you have to take that position & refuse it, you take back that power that should be yours in the first place and claim your right to define who you are without boundaries.

I’ve embarked on this journey to try and push against this notion that I must fit into a particular box and check squares in order to feel validated in some way, shape or form. It’s a renewal, a process which means that it takes some time to stop, ask yourself why you care so much about what people will say about your outfit, or your hair or even about the way you talk. It’s those minute details that we care so much about, and seek the validation of said things from others, even though our liking of it alone should be what truly matters.

And so I leave you with this: Be you, no matter what the circumstances, no matter when the hours, no matter how the outlook, stay true to you. Your most authentic self is your most beautiful self. (I just hope you’re not authentically racist and hateful because then your most beautiful self is quite ugly.)